


Pins and Needles

by ExplosiveRanga



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, F/F, Florists, LGBTQ Themes, tattoo artist - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27171475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExplosiveRanga/pseuds/ExplosiveRanga
Summary: Janet is a single mother and owner of a tattoo studio. Sam is a florist who has just moved into town. Janet's infatuated. Sam's a disaster gay. Flower shop/Tattoo parlour AU.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill, Samantha "Sam" Carter/Janet Fraiser
Comments: 9
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

Janet Fraiser was running late. She’d never understand how teenagers coud sleep so much! She struggled every morning to get her 14 year old out of bed. Every day was a constant struggle to be a good parent, especially hard when she was doing it alone.  
She’d at least fed her daughter and dressed herself, an even bigger victory when they seemed to be on time. It wasn’t until they were halfway to school that Cassie realised that she’d forgotten her entire bag and so they had to turn around and now Janet was running half an hour late and she’d not even had her morning coffee yet.  
She pulled her pickup into the staff parking behind the store, fumbling for her shop keys as she raced toward the door where her Vala was waiting.  
Vala was taller than Janet by a mile and the two couldn’t look more different; besides the height difference, Janet had auburn, borderline red, hair that she very rarely left down when she was working whereas Vala had dark locks that almost reached her waist, a waist that was often exposed or at least accentuated by various leather garments. Janet’s smaller frame meant that her body was curvier than the other woman’s and she certainly seemed to dress more practically than Vala, choosing to stick to jeans and a cozy cotton turtleneck.  
“I’m sorry, I know I’m late again…” She unlocked the door and let the other woman in before her.  
“No, no, that’s fine, dear, I only just got here. Trouble with Cassie again?”  
“Mm, teenagers.” Janet ran a hand through her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, securing it with an elastic band from her wrist as she looked around the tiny studio. She’d opened ‘Pins and Needles’ two years ago in an attempt to finally do something for herself. She’d quickly come to realise that maybe she was in over her head; being a single mother and the only artist/owner of a tattoo parlour was practically impossible.  
Thank god for Vala. She had been passing through town - all tattoos and attitude, fresh out of her apprenticeship - got herself into some trouble and then never seemed to leave. They’d hit it off immediately, though, with two women as feisty as they were, there was bound to be chaos, not to mention that between Janet constantly being late because of a stubborn teen and Vala just struggling with time management, they wouldn’t get anything done if they hadn’t scheduled their working hours earlier than they needed to be. The store didn’t open for another hour but there was always something to set up or sanitise and that also meant there was time for coffee.  
“Did you see that they finally got someone into that store across the street?” Vala set her bag into the cupboard and plopped down into the nearest chair, producing a bagel from god knows where to nibble on. Janet looked up from the till she was now counting, only now taking notice of the new coat of white paint that had given life to the old building across the road. “About time, too,” Vala continued. “Mr Yang kicked the bucket months ago. I wonder if there’s going to be any handsome boys working there...”  
Janet shot her friend a look and closed the till draw, tearing off a receipt for the books and storing it in a folder under the desk. “I’m going to get a coffee. Can you get set up?”  
Vala sat up and waved a hand at her dismissively. “Oh oh, say hi to Danny for me, will you?”  
The other woman couldn’t help but laugh as she rolled her eyes. Vala was very popular with a lot of the men around here; she loved the attention but what she loved even more was a man playing hard to get. Not that Janet was sure Daniel was playing hard to get or just too naive to realise that the woman wanted to rail him into next week.  
‘The Lord of the Beans’ was an unassuming shop; tucked between a grocery store and a newsagent, the bookstore come coffeeshop didn’t do much to put itself on the map. The storefront sported the original tall windows but piles and piles of books blocked the warm spring sun from penetrating the dungeon like atmosphere. Not that the place was unwelcoming; anything but! Daniel Jackson owned the place, a man who looked as humble as his store. He was handsome but he definitely didn’t know it, hiding his slim frame in oversized sweaters and with a mop of light brown hair draping his face. It was only him that worked there and he never seemed to take a day off; he seemed most content to sit in his den of old books and interesting artifacts, as if the store was built solely for his enjoyment.  
Janet wiped her boots before she stepped into the shop, being hit suddenly by the smell of fresh cinnamon scrolls and ground coffee.  
“Morning Daniel,” She greeted warmly as she placed her $10 note on the counter, the man poking his head around a bookshelf. He smiled when he saw her and, setting down the book he was inspecting, he rounded the counter and started working on her latte, ignoring the money.  
“Hey! How’s my only customer this morning?” They shared a smile; he wasn’t exactly telling the truth but he definitely didn’t get enough traffic to keep him in business. She’d found out not long ago that he wrote articles for history journals in his spare time and apparently, he was quite good at it. That would explain how he stayed in business.  
“In need of my favourite barista’s magic bean juice.” She leaned her hip against the counter, wiping her hand across the cover of an old ‘Chaucer’. “Cassie’s going to a friend’s sleepover this weekend so I’m looking forward to some ‘mummy’ time.”  
The man passed the paper cup over the counter to her, nodding out the window at the new store. “Have you, uh, been over there yet?”  
“To the florist? No. Just got in.”  
“I saw her park her bike in front of the store when I got in...she looks like your type, you know.” Daniel took a sip of his own coffee, giving her that look over his glasses. It wasn’t a secret that Janet was a bisexual - she didn’t flaunt it but most of her friends at least assumed, with the tattoos and the pickup truck.  
“Daniel Jackson, are you trying to set me up?” A laugh of disbelief left her before she could help it but she was still looking out the window at the florist.  
“I’m just saying...someone needs to go say hi, at least before Jack does.”  
She looked back at him quickly and he shrugged, pushing his glasses up his nose.  
“You’ve got a point. We can’t have Jack scare her away on the first day… Can you make me another latte and I’ll go take it to her? Get you a little advertising while I’m at it.” She shoved the money into the tip jar while he started on the other coffee.

It wasn’t normal to be this nervous; it was just a fellow business owner, right? She hadn’t even seen the woman yet. She probably wasn’t even gay, despite what Daniel said about her motorcycle. The store had been repainted from the garish red that used to be the asian grocer to a nice, bright white and immediately, Janet was hit with the smell of flowers, a pleasant smell except for the fact that spring disagreed with Janet. She thanked whatever powers that be for antihistamines and stepped into the partially opened door. There were boxes everywhere, some empty, some stacked precariously on top of each other; a long shelf lined the front window, a few healthy looking plants basking in the sun. There was a litter of empty coffee cups on the front desk and Janet suddenly felt a bit silly. SHe almost had the mind to turn and leave when the door bell finally announced her entrance. A head of blonde hair poked up from behind the counter, blue eyes wide with surprise.  
“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m not open for a few more days yet.” She seemed flustered and Janet smiled at the woman, holding up the coffee for her to see.  
“I work over at the tattoo parlour. I saw someone had moved in here and I wanted to say hi.”  
The woman stood, all long legs and a bright smile as she dusted soil from her hands. “Oh, hi!” She held out her hand to Janet. “I’m Sam.”  
Janet shook her hand, trying not to pay attention to the woman’s short nails and cuffed blue jeans and white tee with the sleeves rolled up.  
“Janet.” She let go of her hand and offered the cup of joe. “I brought this over for you but I see you’ve had a lot already…”  
“Oh god, no, I’ll always have another.” She flashed a dimpled grin at the woman Janet felt herself falling already. “Thank you. That’s really nice of you.” Sam took a sip of the coffee and hummed. “That’s good coffee!”  
Janet smiled at her enthusiasm. “It’s from ‘The Lords of the Beans’; Daniel may be a little antisocial but he knows coffee and he knows books. He’ll chew your ear off about aliens if you let him.”  
Sam laughed gently, looking at the mess around her. “I’m running behind with all this but maybe later, you could show me around the town?” She said it so innocently that Janet wasn’t even sure if it was supposed to sound flirtatious. Not getting her hopes up and definitely not mentioning that there wasn’t much to see in town, she smiled back at her.  
“Of course. Just swing by whenever you’re free and I’ll take you for a tour.”  
“It’s a date!” The blonde grinned and got back unpacking her boxes as Janet saw herself out. God, she felt like a teenager again. She didn’t have too long to daydream about the new florist because Vala was waving at her from the shop window and she was reminded that there was only 20 minutes until opening. She finished her coffee, dumping the empty cup before she headed inside, finally feeling human enough to get to work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Janet offered to show Sam around, this wasn't how she imagined it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge shoutout to @Tinknevertalks for beta-ing for me and being so lovely!

Business was slow that day with only a few booked clients and a handful of walkins so Janet took the opportunity to get some administrative work done, which was good because she couldn’t stop thinking of the new florist. She put it down to Sam being so goddamn gorgeous.  
She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes, deciding that she needed a break. The computer screen told her that it was almost 3 o’clock and she’d run out of coffee an hour ago. Vala was just finishing up with a client, a new marine in his twenties who’d gotten his first tattoo, a small eagle on his forearm. They’d had to take a few breaks, making what should have been a 30-minute job into an hour. Janet got to her feet, dumping her empty cup in the bin as she approached the counter where he was paying.  
“How did it all go?” She smiled politely resting a hand on Vala’s arm who returned the smile, looking a little exasperated. As soon he had finished paying and the door closed after him, Vala rolled her eyes and dropped back onto her stool as she tidied up the area.  
“That man is supposed to protect our country and he can’t even handle a tattoo. God’s help us all.”  
Janet hummed absently as she fished for her bag out of the staff cupboard, glancing back across the street for the thousandth time. The sun had disappeared behind thick, dark clouds and the rain had just started, drizzling lazily against the sidewalk. Usually, Cassie would meet them at the studio and spend the afternoon doing her homework in Daniel’s shop until close but in weather like this, it wasn’t unusual for Janet to pick her up if she wasn’t with a client. The other woman followed her gaze and smirked, tossing a wad of paper towel at her.   
“Go ask her out or are you a coward as well as a flaming homosexual?”  
If it was anyone else speaking to her like that, Janet may have knocked them out. Instead, she rolled her eyes and ignored the woman’s taunts.   
“I’m going to get Cass, call me if you need anything.”

“...So then I told Eliza where to shove it -”  
“Cassandra Fraiser!”  
“-Then Mr. Waters gave me detention for a week! A week, mom! That’s, like, totally unfair!”  
The school traffic was backed up for blocks and what was supposed to be a 10-minute drive had turned into half an hour and Janet couldn’t wait to get home and sleep.   
“Cassie, I thought we promised that you were going to try to behave this year.” The teenager rolled her eyes, arms folded across her chest and Janet sighed, squeezing the steering wheel. “What were you arguing about anyway?”   
This time, Cassie didn’t answer, the silence heavier than it ought to be. They inched forward in the traffic.  
“Cass.”  
“She called you a dyke.” A car honked for them to move forward again - the congestion was clearing now - and Janet let out a long, sharp breath.   
“I’m sorry, Cass.”  
“It’s not right, mom! How was I the one to get in trouble when they called you… that?”  
“I appreciate you standing up for me, Cassie, but sometimes you need to pick your battles. Outside of school, snot the kid but when you’re in class, you… you can’t risk your education.”  
“So, I let them win?” The conversation was going in circles and before she could think of an appropriate answer, they were parking in front of the studio. Janet turned in her seat, lips pursed.  
“No. But you don't sacrifice your education for a low life like that.” The teenager huffed and Janet reached over, squeezing her hand. “I’m proud of you...Wanna grab a hot chocolate?” They shared a smile and Cassie nodded; the rain had eased off now but the pavement was slick and Janet made sure to watch her step as she climbed out.   
“Sam?” She was surprised to see a tall, blonde woman talking to Vala and the two women turned to them as they entered. “Getting a tattoo?”  
Pink flared across Sam’s fair cheeks and she shoved her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket, shrugging. “I, uh… I finished unpacking most of my boxes and I thought maybe you could show me around?” The warm blue eyes moved then from her to the teenager.   
“Oh, I’m sorry, I promised Cassie--”  
“Don’t be silly, mom,” the girl interrupted, grinning as she looked between them, “Vala promised to help me with my homework.” Her partner in crime laughed, giving Janet the thumbs up. Sam looked a little confused but good-naturedly went along with it.  
Janet gave her an apologetic smile, ignoring the two trouble makers. “Then I’d love to show you around.”  
“Great.”  
She shot her daughter and staff a look and followed Sam onto the sidewalk, glad for the warmer clothes she’d chosen that morning. The afternoon was looking grey and damp, with the promise of more rain to come but for now, it left the air with memories of winter just passed.  
“So, you have a daughter?” The question didn’t sound judgy but like she was genuinely interested. They made their way down the main street that was fairly empty for this time of day, taking their time on their stroll.  
“Yeah, she just turned 14… It’s been a hell of a ride.”  
“Is her dad a tattoo artist too?”  
Janet hesitated. “No, he’s not in our lives anymore.”  
“Oh, god I’m sorry..”  
“No, no, don’t be, he’s not dead, though sometimes I wish he was.” She could see the confusion written all over Sam’s face and she smiled back reassuringly. “No, we just don’t have anything to do with him, not since we moved out here a few years back.”  
“Sounds like it was for the best…”  
“Best thing I’ve ever done...What about you? You married?”  
Sam laughed gently, blue eyes warm and Janet felt her belly do a little flip. “No. Nearly happened a few times but apparently, I attract psychos. Jonas, well, he ended up getting into some weird cult and Pete wanted different things than I did.”  
“Men, huh.”  
“Yeah. I guess that’s part of the reason I came out here. Fresh start and all that.”   
A faint rumble echoed across the sky and as a pair, the women looked up as the first few drops of rain dropped onto their cheeks. With very little notice, the skies opened again and unleashed the mother of all rain, fat heavy drops pounding the pavement. Sam shrieked and Janet laughed, a little bit giddy as she pulled Sam into the hardware store. The door slammed behind them and the blonde woman shook the water out of her hair, grinning like a mad man.   
“Wet enough for you, ladies?”  
Lightning illuminated the street again as the women turned to the voice. Standing by an ancient cash register, positioning a metal bucket under the steady drip from the roof was a handsome man in his mid 40’s; his skin was like honey and despite the weather, his silvering hair was hidden beneath a khaki cap.  
Janet barely remembered to let go of the other woman’s hand and greeted the man with a grin. “Hey there, Jack,” She tried to fix her windswept hair, suddenly a little self-conscious. Jack kept himself in better shape than most other men of his age and he was well aware of women’s desire for him. Janet had seen her fair share of the man over the past few years but recently and most importantly, mutually, they’d decided that neither of them was willing to advance the ‘relationship’ further than what it was; too many drinks and late-night booty calls. They were both damaged in their own ways and neither seemed very good at working on themselves. Still, they were good friends and Cassie adored her ‘Uncle Jack’. That didn’t mean that Janet wouldn’t blush when he smiled at her like that.  
“This is Sam, the new florist.”  
He wiped a hand on his jeans and offered it to the blonde with a disarming smile.  
“Sam Carter.”  
“Jack. O’Neill. Nice to meet ya. That your ‘Ninja’ across the road?”  
“Sure is! You got one?”  
“Been trying to rebuild one for years but… Ah, you know how that is.”  
“Yeah, don’t I just. Got a shell at home but… well.”  
They both chuckled and Janet looked between them, brows raised with amusement.   
“Hope you don’t mind if we hole up in here until the rain passes.”  
“Not at all. Cam keeps saying that this place could use a feminine touch.”  
As if summoned, a younger man stuck his head out from the staff room, chowing down on some macaroons. Introductions were made, macaroons passed around and the staff kettle boiling while the storm raged on outside. Janet set herself on top of a small step ladder, watching as the florist spoke excitedly about her motorbike preferences.   
The store was large, much larger than her studio but with rows and rows of shelves cluttered with every type of nut, bolt, washer, screwdriver, and tool you could need. Jack didn’t keep the place very tidy but from what he’d told Janet, his ex-father-in-law had handed the keys over to him just before the divorce so most of the stuff was from as early as the ’80s.   
“So you’re ex-military?” Sam asked Jack, making herself comfortable on a fishing chair.   
“How could you tell?”  
Sam blushed, shrugging. “I know your type. My father was in the Air Force.”  
The man turned then, a sudden realisation coming to his face. “Carter. Of course, Jacob Carter?”  
“Yeah. You knew him?”  
“Met him in passing a few times. How is the old man going?”  
“Oh, he...passed away a few years ago. Cancer.”  
“Ah geez, I’m sorry. He was a good man.”  
Cam emerged with a tray of cups and macaroons his grandmother had made, he explained. He set it down on the counter and passed both women a cup of hot coffee. Sam shot Janet a skeptical look as the smaller woman sniffed the liquid. It smelt wrong and she wasn’t sure any amount of creamer or sugar could save it.  
“Sorry,” Cam commented, seeing their looks of distrust. “We usually get coffee from Jackson down the road so this is all we’ve got at the moment until the rain stops.” He held up his makeshift coffee mug - a mason jar that Janet could have sworn was holding pencils on the front desk moments ago. Jack took a sip from a battered styrofoam cup and grimaced.   
“How’s Cas?” he asked the tattoo artist who decided not to risk the murky brown liquid and cradled the cup on her knee.   
“Yeah, not bad. She, uh… got another detention today.” Janet shrugged.  
“Just say the word, Jan, I can take her for a weekend. Straighten her out.” His words were not unkind and a smile accompanied them. She was well aware that his ‘straightening out’ would be movies and pizza. Still, it would be good for Cassie to spend some time with a parental figure like Jack. She often worried if she was doing the right thing by her daughter. It scared her to think that she was going to stuff her up in some way.  
“Thanks, Jack.” Their eyes met for a moment and she almost missed his touch. No, she thought, she had to be strong. As handsome and enticing as Jack was, Janet couldn’t let herself go there again.

It took almost an hour for the rain to ease and in that time, Sam and Jack seemed to hit it off, discussing their experience with the Air Force. Jealousy boiled in the base of her stomach but she tried to ignore it; she had no right to be jealous of either of them.   
As soon as the sky cleared a little, Janet got to her feet, setting her cup down by the counter. Three sets of eyes followed her.  
“I best get back. I don’t trust Vala with Cassie for too long; lord knows what trouble they’ll get into.”  
Sam stood as well, smiling at the smaller woman. “I’ll walk you back.”  
Janet nodded and the women said their goodbyes, not without Jack offering his help with Sam’s bike. There was that jealousy again and Janet made sure to hide it behind a tight-lipped smile.  
“Sorry the tour didn’t go so well,” she commented once they were out on the street. They’d only made it half a block before the storm hit and cut their time together short. Now though, the sky was blue, the darkest clouds moving towards the ever-darkening horizon.  
“It’s okay. They seem nice.”  
“Yeah, they’re good guys.”  
“Well maybe,” Sam shrugged, “I could buy you lunch tomorrow and we could finish the tour?”  
Janet felt her cheeks get a little warm and she nodded, smiling gently. “Sure. I think I can fit you in.”  
“I’ll bring the umbrella.”  
They made it back to the shop as Cassie and Vala were locking the doors up. Sam made her way across to her bike that was drenched from the downpour.   
“Let us give you a ride home,” Janet called. “We can swing by in the morning and drop you off.”  
Even if Sam was more interested in Jack, Janet wouldn’t let that stop her from making friends. Women had to stick together and she definitely wasn’t about to let a guy get between her and a new friendship.  
She saw Sam smile from across the road as she secured her bike and slung her bag over her shoulder. Janet made sure to ignore Cassie’s giggles all the way home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam needs to let off some steam so she decides to try out the Yoga class in town and runs into Janet!

It was Daniel’s idea. Sam had visited the cafe while the plumbing was getting fixed in her shop and she’d complained about how hard it was to find a good workout new town.  
“I don’t… get out much,” the man gave a sheepish grin, “but I do know that Teal’c runs a yoga club on Saturday mornings. You could try that.”  
So, there she was, feeling a little ridiculous and more than a little nervous because she didn’t even really know anyone in this town, walking almost half a mile on the treadmill before the class. She didn’t want to be early and be forced to make small talk - that wasn’t her forte - but she’d make sure she wasn’t late either. If highschool had taught her anything, it was that it didn’t pay to stand out. It had already almost been a week since she moved in and so far, everyone seemed nice enough. She and Janet had become friends almost instantly and it wasn’t uncommon for one of them to turn up to the other’s shop with a coffee and smile right before opening. Sam had to stop herself from feeling some type of way for the woman - she had a kid and an ex-husband. That meant a lot of things that Sam didn’t want to think about right now. Then there was Jack from the hardware store; he was handsome and charming and funny and way too handsome, and he seemed interested in getting to know her better. She’d be lying to say if she wasn’t tempted.  
Right on the hour, a small group of mostly women filed into the small studio from the hall and Sam grabbed her towel and water and hurried in after them. The man waiting inside was, for lack of a better word, large. He was easily over 6 foot and his biceps strained against the tight material of his shirt and his coffee stained skin was decorated with dozens of elaborate, incredibly intricate tattoos. His warm brown eyes found her and he nodded slowly in greeting, giving her a gentle smile before he turned back to the group. Suddenly unsure of herself, Sam looked around quickly. She claimed a mat at the back of the room and as soon as she sat her bottle down, a hand touched her arm.  
“Sam? What’re you doing here?” Janet was grinning at the taller woman and Sam couldn’t help but notice how incredible she looked, dressed in almost completely sheer black tights and a matching sports bra. She had more tattoos than Sam could have ever imagined - not that she’d imagined seeing Janet in less clothes - with both arms wrapped in delicate lines of ink, trailing across her chest but stopping by her collarbone. Sam swallowed thickly and directed her eyes back to Janet’s.  
“Hi! Daniel recommended this class; I didn’t expect to see you here. Do you come here often?” It sounded corny and Sam almost blushed but Janet grinned back at her playfully.  
“I try to make this session every Saturday but with a teenager, that’s near impossible. Maybe I’ll use you as an excuse next time.”  
Sam actually did blush this time; was Janet flirting with her? No, not possible. She was just being friendly. Sam opened her mouth to respond but the man, now at the front of the room, spoke before she had the chance.  
“Namaste.” His voice was surprisingly deep and warm, like bare skin against silk sheets and Sam suddenly felt very welcome, even as a newbie. Janet grinned at her and took the mat in front.  
“His name’s Teal’c. Just do what I do; he doesn’t talk much.”  
Apparently Sam was the only one who didn’t get the memo because the other people around her did a half bow and started moving slowly together. They reminded her of the ants her brother used to bring into the house to study; they would carry scraps from one side of the tupperware contained to the other, acting only on some primordial instinct. Maybe that’s what was happening here too.  
Thank god for Janet though. She was obviously moving slower for Sam, giving her time to transition from one position to the next. The florist tried her hardest not to stare at the other woman’s ass though it looked particularly perky in downward dog.  
It was suddenly very warm but Sam kept her eyes trained on Janet, watching the way her muscles stretched and rippled. It would have been easy for people to assume that she was harmless; Janet was smaller than average and her figure held more weight around her hips and breasts than Sam’s did but it was obvious that she could easily kick any of these guys' asses.

The class flew by and though she’d be sore tomorrow, she was grateful for the sweat. She almost felt as if she’d just gone down a mountain on her Ninja at 100 miles an hour. Yoga was cheaper than a motorbike, she mused.  
“How’s the shop coming?” Janet asked, passing Sam her water bottle and taking a large gulp from her own.  
“Great! Everything’s pretty much done. Grand opening is on Monday; you and Cassie should come by! We’ll have cupcakes!”  
The brunette chuckled, slinging her towel over her shoulder. “Well, now that you’ve mentioned cupcakes…”  
Sam grinned back and followed the woman into the change rooms where Janet turned to the wall and stripped her sports bra, swapping it for a burgundy, lace number. Her deft fingers did the clasp up and she turned back to Sam, not before the woman spotted the string of vibrant, detailed violets that wrapped around the thin naked torso of a woman, her face covered by a blossoming petal. The blonde looked back up, her face warm as she ran a hand through her messy hair.  
“Have you got time to grab some breakfast?” Janet asked, pulling a t-shirt over her head and fixing her ponytail. Sam nodded, wishing now that she’d brought a change of clothes with her instead of leaving her bag in the back room of her shop.

They ended up in a nice, sunny spot on the sidewalk of a cafe a few blocks from the gym. The rain that had haunted the town during the week was nowhere to be seen and the town was bustling with families out and about to enjoy the sunshine.  
Sam had her eyes closed, head tilted back, letting the warmth soak into her skin; with all the preparation and organising that went into setting up a new store, let alone moving to a whole new town, she felt like she hadn’t been outside for years. Janet sat down again, having ordered some coffee and food for herself and when Sam opened her eyes, blinking against the light, Janet was smiling warmly, honey brown eyes practically sparkling.  
“This is nice,” She mused, leaning back. Sam hummed and leaned her chin on her hand, feeling more relaxed than she had in days.  
“I bet you don’t get many weekends like this.”  
“Not nearly as many as I’d like. Cassie and I try to do something every weekend but it’s nice to have a ‘Janet’ day, you know?”  
“I have a niece and nephew but they live in Seattle so I don’t see them as often as I’d like. I can’t imagine having to be responsible for a kid, though. Some days, I can barely feed myself.”  
J Janet chuckled and Sam decided that she liked the sound. Their coffees arrived and she watched Janet’s tattooed hands smooth over the porcelain. Each finger was wrapped with a word or embellished with a shape and over her wrist, a rose blossomed, a vine winding up her forearm, branching off into more buds, some closed, some just blooming.  
“You’re a flower lover too,” Sam hummed, nodding to the design.  
“I used to hate them as a kid. Not flowers, per say, just what they’re supposed to represent.”  
“Oh? Like what?”  
“Feminity. Fragility. Virginity. How all of them were connected. I never wanted someone to think of me as fragile or weak.”  
“Right but they’re also incredibly resilient. A lot of different species can survive and thrive in the worst conditions. I think a lot of people often like to compare women to flowers and then think that makes us weak or frail because all they see are flowers left in a vase too long that they wilt and die...but they only do that because they’re taken out of their element. If you leave a flower on the bush, it thrives and promotes the growth of other strong flowers!”  
Janet blinked at her but the grin was back.  
“That’s right. I mean, I never thought of it as eloquently as you but… yeah, basically.”  
Sam smiled sheepishly, hiding behind her mug as she took a sip of her coffee. “Sorry, I get kind of carried away…”  
“No, it’s fine. I like hearing you talk.” Janet stopped then, frowning quickly and this time, it was her turn to hide behind her cup. The waitress chose that moment to deliver their food - pancakes for Sam and avocado on toast for Janet - and the women dove into their meals quietly.  
When they were finished eating, they sat back again, their former conversation forgotten. Sam was grateful for Yoga pants because though she’d cleaned her plate, her stomach was full and she felt very warm and very sleepy. Janet stretched, arms above her head, humming and Sam couldn’t keep her eyes off her. She desperately wanted to ask about her tattoos, what they all meant and if they had a story behind them but she was sure the tattoo artist had heard all of those questions a million times.  
Before Sam could embarrass herself, a voice called to them. Jack and Daniel were walking towards them, coffee in hand. It was strange to see Daniel out of the shop, let alone socialising willingly. From what little she knew of the man, he was friendly but fairly reserved, so it was odd to see him drinking coffee with Jack of all people.  
The men stopped at their table and Janet seemed to straighten up. Jack pressed a hand to her shoulder and smiled at the women.  
“Nice to see you, ladies. Enjoying this fine weather?”  
“Yeah, nice day for it. Sam and I thought we’d get a workout early this morning.”  
Jack’s brows raised in interest and his lips quirked in a smile, looking between them.  
“Doesn’t that sound like fun,” he mused and Sam wasn’t sure exactly what passed between him and Janet for a second. “I’m just taking Danny on his weekly outing.”  
The scholar punched Jack’s arm but the women chuckled.  
“We won’t keep you,” Daniel rolled his eyes playfully and Jack smirked, taking the hint as he stepped back.  
“Alright, alright. He gets cranky when he hasn’t had his coffee yet.” Jack grinned even wider and stepped out of Daniel’s reach. “Catch you later, Jan.” He looked at Sam and winked. “See you this afternoon?”  
Sam felt all eyes on her and her cheeks burned but she nodded.  
“I’ll be there.”  
The men went on their way and she once again hid behind her mug of coffee. Janet watched her, silence stretching between them.  
“So Jack, huh?”  
“I’m just going over to help him with his bike,” she replied quickly, not meeting Janet’s eyes.  
“No, I mean, he’s a great guy.” Her words sounded strained and Sam frowned.  
“You two…?”  
“We kind of dated ages back. Honestly, it’s fine.” It didn’t sound fine and Sam chewed on her lip nervously.  
“They’re an interesting friendship,” she said quickly, trying to diffuse the awkwardness, nodding the way that Jack and Daniel had disappeared. Getting between Janet and Jack was the last thing she wanted to do.  
“They go way back from what I know. I think they met when they were both in a pretty bad place and they just stuck together from then on.” Janet’s phone buzzed on the table and she picked it up quickly, staring at the screen as it rang. Without hesitation, she hung up without answering and pushed back in her chair.  
“I’m sorry, Sam, I’ve got to get back to the shop. This was nice though.” She strained a quick smile and left a wad of cash on the table before she hurried away. Sam watched her go, heart in her throat, feeling disappointed. She rubbed her eyes and exhaled before she stood too, making sure the bill was paid before she headed home. She almost wished for yoga again, settling instead for a nice long shower before her definitely-not-date with Jack. She’d have to make it up to Janet another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long but the next chapter should be out soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Jack go on a definitely-not-date but it gets cut short because of a break in!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay in updating!! I'm in the process of moving and I've not had much muse! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

After the disastrous morning she’d had, Sam only hoped that the afternoon would be better. She’d thought about sending a text to check in with Janet but the woman seemed rather cold when she’d left so Sam thought it best to leave it be. She’d spent the afternoon trying to meditate but when that hadn’t worked, she’d retreated to her garden - not that it was much of a garden at the moment. The soil was good but the last owners had let the yard go and before she could plant anything, there was a lot of work that needed to be done.  
Sam pulled her bike into Jack’s driveway right at 5 pm; his garage door was open and the man sat by a sad excuse for a motorbike, beer by his foot. When he heard the rumble of the Ninja, he looked up and smiled at her. She climbed off the bike and removed her helmet, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to smooth it down.  
“Glad you could make it,” Jack held a beer out to her and she smiled gratefully, running a hand over the bare engine.  
“Heard you needed an expert's help,” she teased. The man chuckled, flipping a milk carton over for her and patting it.

The afternoon passed quickly and they made good progress cleaning the body of dirt and rust and making a plan of attack. Before either of them realised, the light had faded and the temperature dropped, and Jack leaned back, groaning a little.  
Sam looked over and grinned, wiping her hands on a rag. “I think you’ll need to order the radiator but then we can go from there.”  
“What would I do without you?” He smirked and Sam blushed a little, tossing him the rag. “Got time for a drink?”

“Sorry about the mess. Beer okay?” Jack called as he flicked the lights on, heading down the corridor to the kitchen. Sam peered around the living room politely, keeping her hands in her pockets. His house was tidier than she’d expected for a bachelor. There weren’t many personal items; instead, the coffee table held a few empty bottles, an array of fishing and hardware magazines strewn across it. A blanket was draped haphazardly across the back of the couch and if Sam didn’t know any better, it looked like he slept there too often. The only personal effects she could see were a handful of pictures on and above the fireplace, some of Jack alone in uniform, others with a pretty blonde woman and a little boy. She wasn’t trying to be nosy so when she heard Jack’s footsteps in the hall, she turned to him, ignoring her own curiosity.  
He held a bottle out to her and she took it gratefully, sitting on the sofa across from him in the armchair.  
“How long were you in the air force?” She said after a long moment as they both took long swigs of their beers.  
“Almost 3 decades. Most days, my body feels like it was five.”  
“Why’d you get out of it? If you don't mind me asking. I just can't imagine that working at a hardware store would be as adventurous as piloting an F-16.”  
He looked impressed. “Spent more than my fair share of time in and out of near death situations. Takes a toll on your body and your relationships. You seem to know a lot about the force. Because of your dad?”  
“Yeah. I was fascinated with the stuff as a kid. Almost went into the academy...”  
“But?”  
“When my mom died...I kinda came to resent the military. All my dreams of being an astronaut just went out the window.”  
“Probably for the best. After my son died, I couldn’t...I couldn’t go back.”  
“God, I’m sorry.”  
“No, it’s...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” He exhaled sharply. “Another beer?”  
“I shouldn’t have any more on an empty stomach. Got anything to eat?”  
“No, I usually order in. Wanna go grab a Pizza?”

Thank god they rang their order in ahead of time because the town was bustling with couples out and about on date night. They’d taken Sam’s bike but Jack had driven, leaving Sam to hold on tight to the man’s torso. She couldn’t deny that he smelt amazing, like Old Spice and grease and she could feel how fit he was under his shirt but she couldn’t get Janet out of her head.  
Jack found a park down from the street from the pizza shop, right by ‘Lord of the Beans’, and he grinned as he took the helmet off.  
“She rides nicely,” he patted the seat appreciatively and Sam smiled back, locking the helmets under the seat. They crossed the road together and Sam couldn’t help but peer back into her shop as they passed; it was dark and quiet but the lettering had finally been applied to the glass and the window was full of Peace Lilies. It was her dream come true and it was finally coming together. She glanced over at the tattoo parlour, half expecting to see Janet through the window but despite the lights, the shop looked empty.  
“Vala usually stays back on weekends to mind the place so Janet can spend some time with Cas,” Jack explained and she bit back the questions she had about their relationship. She’d already made things weird with Janet, no need to do the same with Jack too.  
Changing the topic, the pair chatted idly as they strolled, steering clear of personal topics, instead talking about the bike and Sam’s shop.  
“My mom always wanted to be a florist but it just never happened for her. I know it sounds silly but after she died, that’s all I could think about. I wanted to do what she couldn’t. Then dad died and… well, I guess it was just the right thing to do.”  
“It’s a big move to make by yourself,” he noted and she shot him a small smile.  
“What can I say, I’m an adrenaline junkie.”

On their way back to the bike, Jack with the pizza, Sam couldn’t help but notice the light’s still on in the studio but this time, Janet was on the sidewalk, phone to her ear, police cruiser by her side. Without a word, the pair rushed to the tattoo artist.  
“Jan, you okay?”  
She spun to look at them and Sam could see the frustration on the other woman’s face. Her gaze softened a little when she saw Sam and she let out a long breath, running a hand through her hair. She was all rugged up in a sweater and lounge pants, a cardigan wrapped tight around her; it looked as if she’d just gotten out of bed.  
“Oh hey,” she looked to Jack quickly. The man touched her arm and she chewed her lip. “Yeah, the shop got broken into. They didn’t steal anything from what we can see. Sheriff Hammond thinks the alarm scared them away.”  
As if on cue, a large, bald man strode from the store towards them. He nodded at Jack and Sam in greeting.  
“No luck on fingerprints, I’m afraid. Whoever did this didn’t seem to have time to go through the cash drawer.”  
“Thank god for that… I’ll get you the camera footage tomorrow when I call the security company.”  
The man nodded again and touched Janet’s arm. “You let me know if you need anything.”  
With that, he got into his police cruiser and drove off. Janet exhaled and stretched her neck, turning back to Sam and Jack. There was something in her eyes; disappointment? Vulnerability? Rejection? Whatever it was she seemed to push it down and took a deep breath.  
“I’ll have to stay to tape this window up and hope the insurance covers the damned thing,” her voice was stiff and she squared her shoulders.  
“I can swing by first thing in the morning to help.” Jack watched the small woman grip the broom, brushing small defeated strokes across the dark grey tiles.  
“Thanks Jack, really.” She gave a tight-lipped smile as she knelt, brushing the pile of the glass into the flat pan and casting it aside. It almost looked as if she was praying, her shoulder-length auburn hair gently swaying in the cool night air that invades the shop through the hole in the window. “Go, you two should go enjoy your night. Don’t let me keep you.”  
“Don’t be silly. We’re worried about you.” Sam said, taking the cardboard from her hands the woman turned, her eyes wide and her body tense. Sam knew this woman would fight over flight any day.  
“I’ll get some wood from the shop and I'll help you fix up for the night and clean up the glass. Sorry to cut this short, sam.”  
“No, it’s okay. I’ll stay with her until you get back,” Sam smiled, watching Jack leave with determination in the direction of the hardware store. She looked back to Janet who was back on her feet, staring into the pile of shattered glass distractedly.  
“I am sorry. I didn’t want to ruin your night…” Janet sighed.  
“You’re not. You didn’t…I was just helping with his bike. I’m a bit of a tinkerer, that’s all. Plus, it was more of a therapy session than anything..”  
“Yeah, Jack does that to people.” For the first time that evening, Janet smiled at her and Sam felt herself relax slightly. The pair cleaned the glass from the floor in comfortable silence and Sam felt herself watching Janet from the corner of her eyes. She looked exhausted and stressed and all she wanted to do was give her the biggest hug but Jack strode into the store at that moment, a few thin sheets of plywood in his arms. He grinned at them and Janet moved over to take some from him. Suddenly feeling not needed, Sam watched them work for a moment, Janet holding the wood while jack drilled.  
“I should go…” she proclaimed, heading for the door. Her friends looked up at her as she dug for her keys.  
“I can give Jack a lift home,” Janet offered, dusting sawdust from her hands. Sam chewed her lip and nodded, her chest tight.  
“I’ll see you around…” her eyes moved to Jack. “Thanks for today.”  
He smiled warmly and nodded and she felt eyes on her all the way to her bike.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been struggling to write lately so I'm sorry it's not much but I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! I'd love to know what you guys think!

“You sure you’re okay?”  
Jack and Janet sat in her truck outside of his house, the full moon casting shadows across the stone path that led to his door. Tall trees loomed over them like great beasts, moving together with the winter wind blowing around the parked car. The smaller woman sighed, staring out into the darkness, hands gripping the steering wheel tight.  
“Yeah,” she said finally, her honeyed eyes glancing over at him, illuminated only by the dim cab light. “I’m okay. It’s been a long day, that’s all.”  
“Course.” Janet turned her gaze back to the house. They hadn’t been alone like this since they cut off their ‘arrangement’ and Janet suddenly felt so incredibly lonely. She’d made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t be jealous of the relationship that seemed to be forming between Jack and Sam but she couldn’t help but the bitterness that formed in her mouth when she thought of them together. “Hey, you know if you need anything…”  
“I know.”  
“I can take Cass for the rest of the weekend; give you some time to do what you need to do.”  
“Thank you, Jack, but I think the more normal I keep things, the more normal I’ll feel.”  
His hand found hers on the wheel. Their eyes met again and then their lips, her fingers abandoning her death grip to take purchase in his short hair. It was a familiar dance, one that used to thrill and delight her but now it seemed outdated and dull. After only a moment, the redhead pulled away, pressing herself back into the seat with a heavy exhale.  
“Jack…”  
"I know. We said we wouldn’t.” He clicked his tongue, gaze dark in the night.  
“It wouldn’t be fair on you, honey,” she said softly, avoiding his eyes.  
There was a long pause. “Sam?”  
They both knew that there was no point in her answering. Her attraction for the woman was as clear as day and as much as she wanted it to be Jack because he was handsome and warm and emotionally unavailable and that meant low commitment, there was something so infatuating about the woman she’d known for a week.  
“I’m sorry,” she said finally, still tasting his familiar taste on her lips.  
“Don’t be. You deserve the world, Jan, and Sam’s great.” They shared a smile and Jack unclipped his belt. “See you ‘round.”  
With that, he was gone. She watched him trudge up the path and into the dark house and sat there a little while longer before heading home to her own lonely bed.

She was glad that Cassie was staying with a friend for the evening, partly so the girl didn’t freak out about the break-in and partly because that meant that Janet could have a breakdown without her daughter worrying.  
As soon as she arrived home, she’d started running a bath and stripped to her underwear, lighting a few candles in the bathroom as she grabbed a bottle of wine and set up her Bluetooth speaker. There was no need for a glass, she decided and moments later, she was sinking naked, into the water. The bubbles threatened the edge of the dub dangerously as she reclined back, letting Stevie Nicks’ raspy voice fill the room around her. Janet took a long gulp of the wine and closed her eyes, pushing the stress of the day from her as she sang along.  
All regard for the neighbors went out the window when ‘Dreams’ started and Janet found herself singing the lyrics into the darkness, loudly and without any thought but for herself.  
“...They say women, they will come and they will go; When the rain washes you clean, you'll know, you'll know...”  
The tears started unexpectedly. Her hands shook as she put the wine down, gripping the bath for support, her chest aching and body quaking. Fire burned behind her ribs as she gasped for air between the sobs. She wished that she hadn’t turned Jack away but more than that, she wished Sam was there. She’d treated the blonde so badly that morning and yet Sam had been so nice to her after the break-in.  
Janet wiped her face with a towel, using some of the yoga breathing to calm herself. She reached for her phone, freezing when she saw a missed call notification. It was the same number that had called her that morning at breakfast; even though she’d blocked his number, every so often she’d get calls from unknown numbers and she assumed it was him trying to get to her and Cassie. She’d changed her number countless times but he always found a way to contact her.  
He had a right to see his daughter, he argued. Janet told him that he’d given up that right when he threatened their lives. She had a restraining order against him but that could only do so much.  
Not wanting to deal with that right now, she deleted the notification and sent a quick text to Sam.  
I was awful today, I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you sometime?  
She set her phone back down and finished her wine. It wasn’t until the water was cold and the candle almost burnt out that she stood, wrapping herself in her largest, coziest towel and retreating to her bed alone.

“So, have you thought about what you want to do for your birthday?”  
Janet and Cassie sat in a bright corner of Daniel’s cafe, almost completely surrounded by piles of old books but basking in the warm sun filtering through one of the only windows in the shop. Every day was getting colder so the pair had opted for hot chocolates to pass the time as they read their respective books.  
Cassie looked up from hers, a copy of ‘The Great Gatsby’ that she was reading for class, and shrugged, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.  
“I don’t know. I think Damien wants to take me to the bowling alley…”  
Janet’s brows shot up and she grinned playfully. “Damien, huh? Just the two of you or…?”  
“No,” she responded too quickly, cheeks pinkening. “I mean, I’m sure he said something about his friends coming too.”  
“Mmhm,” Janet took another sip of her drink and smirked, looking back down at her ‘Tattoo Life’ magazine that Daniel ordered in specially for her.  
“Do you think Jack and Vala can come over for my birthday...for dinner?”  
There was never a day that Janet didn’t feel guilty for the lack of family that her daughter was growing up without. Her own parents had almost disowned her when she got pregnant out of wedlock and had actually gone through with it when she got divorced and came out. Her former in-laws were dead and any support the pair had before the divorce was left behind in Montana.  
“I’m sure they’d love that, honey.”  
“Sam too?”

An hour later, Janet left the cafe to check on her own store. She and Jack had patched up the broken window the night before but she really needed to organise a more permanent replacement and get some admin done. She loved her job but she hated paperwork the most. Daniel would keep Cassie occupied for some time while Janet got some work done.  
The small woman stopped in front of her rather sad looking shop and sighed. The business was doing well but this incident would put them back until the insurance could be sorted. Gathering herself, she unlocked the door and made her way into the dark studio. If not for the glass and some tattoo books strewn across the tiled floor, it would have been hard to tell that there ever was a break-in. Setting her coffee down, she sat behind her desk and got to work.  
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been there, on hold with the insurance company and security firm but eventually, there was a gentle knock on the glass-paneled door. Janet looked up and couldn’t help the smile that came across her face when she saw Sam.  
“Hey you,” Sam smiled back as Janet got to her feet, stretching, “I saw your light on and I thought I’d come to say hi.”  
Janet ran a hand through her hair, suddenly aware that she must look a sight in front of the angel that was Sam.  
“I’m sorry about yesterday,” the smaller woman felt her cheeks warming but she reminded herself that she was a bad bitch and continued. “I was jealous...of you and Jack and I had no right to be.”  
Blue eyes blinked at her for a long moment and then Sam grinned.  
“Thank you. Maybe you can make it up to me. Over dinner?” Janet was speechless. She stared at Sam, her tired brain trying to catch up. “I’m free tomorrow night…?”  
It took Janet another moment to gather her wits and she felt herself back.  
“Yes ma’am. I’ll pick you up.”  
“It’s a date.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @tinknevertalks for this prompt and now I'm way too invested!


End file.
